ORANGE — Better than a five-star review, a local tattoo studio has gotten the nod from a longtime supplier and friend.
Connecticut-based Tommy’s Supplies has become an official sponsor for Smok’in Irons Tattoo & Art Studio in Orange. Tommy’s Supplies, owned by Tom Ringwalt, is the sole owner of the registered trademark name StarBrite, a 170-color line of tattoo inks.
Smok’in Irons owner and tattoo artist John A. Chapin Jr. said Ringwalt has been a longtime friend, ever since Chapin started his apprenticeship seven years ago. The tattoo studio Chapin worked at during the apprenticeship ordered from Tommy’s Supplies. When Chapin opened Smok’in Irons in 2018, that relationship continued, and Chapin has even taken part in an annual convention organized by Tommy’s Supplies. Chapin credited Ringwalt with his strong support for independent businesses.
“He’s always trying to do good by everybody like us,” said Chapin.
“You could be the lowest man on the totem pole and he (Tom) still makes you feel like you’re high-ranked,” said Studio Manager Jess Sager.
Ringwalt said he and Chapin “just clicked” when they met, adding that Smok’in Irons has always been supportive of his company.
“His friendship has been incredible, one of my top friends in the business,” Ringwalt said.
Getting the sponsorship required Chapin to send in work samples for review, but the process goes far beyond that. Ringwalt said it can take a year or two, as he likes to get a complete picture of the business. Through the sponsorship, the tattoo shop will get a discount on ink products and supplies, and will need to promote Tommy’s Supplies on social media.
“People have to work really hard to get a sponsorship,” Ringwalt said. “We don’t just hand them out freely. So when they get it, it’s a really big deal that it comes from us.”
Ringwalt said Tommy’s Supplies only sponsors five to 10 studios, and that gets revoked if the business closes or it becomes clear they’re not following through on promotional responsibilities.
“We’re different than most,” he said. “Most just focus on looking at the work. We look at the whole situation, the personality. It’s more of a teamwork thing. We want to know everything about you.”
Chapin got his start in the industry experimenting with tattoo guns and ink, just tattooing friends and himself. He realized this was something he was good at and soon got an apprenticeship. When asked about popular designs, he said anything related to the “Harry Potter” series is big in this area. Gray and black stipple shading are among his specialties, along with watercolors and flowers.
“I’m still trying to learn,” he said, adding that he’s looking to expand his skills in the style of realism.
In addition to the sponsorship, Smok’in Irons has made a new hire with Kylee Mason. Through a school-to-career program, she connected with the owner of a tattoo studio in Turners Falls. She started going there three times a week for six hours total, learning about sanitation and cleaning the stations. Soon after, she was offered a two-year apprenticeship. Already, she has 500 hours of experience doing 200 tattoos. Mason said blackwork, dotwork and inverted colors are where her skills lie.
“So I would take half of a leaf or something, and make it look black and then make the veins of the leaf look white, and then the other half would be vice-versa,” she said.
Mason said she’s a fan of Halloween-themed tattoos — among the ones she has is a bat holding a cassette tape that reads “Diary of a Madman,” a reference to the second studio album released by Ozzy Osbourne.
Other staff at Smok’in Irons include artists Liana Nagle and Steven Luongo. Chapin added that Nagle and Mason are the only female tattoo artists in the community and nearby towns.
“I want to be able to offer a variety of styles and a variety of artists,” Chapin said, “and for people to feel safe.”
Max Bowen can be reached at mbowen@recorder.com or 413-930-4074.
